Production of epitaxial films



United States Patent Ofiice 3 ,3 12 ,5 71 Patented Apr. 4,. 1967 This application is a division of applicants oopending application Ser. No. 143,882, filed Oct. 9, 1961.

The present invention relates to a method for the production of epitaxial films of large single crystals of inorganic compounds. Epitaxial films which may be prepared in accordance with the invention described herein are prepared from volatile compounds and elements of beryllium, zinc, cadmium and mercury with volatile compounds and elements of sulfur, selenium and tellurium. Typical compounds within this group include the binary compounds beryllium sulfide, zinc selenide, cadmium te llur-ide, mercury selenide and cadmium sulfide. As examples of ternary compositions within the define-d group are those having the formula ZnS Sc and CdS Se x having a numerical value greater than zero and less than 1.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a new and economical method for the production of articles of manufacture which are characterized as having epitaxial films of single crystal IIVI compositions having the cubic (ZnS) structure deposited on various substrate materials.

The specific II-VI compounds produced by the method of this invention are of unusual purity and have the necessary electrical properties for use as semiconductor components and are prepared by the reaction of a gaseous II compound, such as mercury halide and a gaseous VI compound, such as tellurium halide in the presence of hydrogen. Examples of mercury compounds which are gaseous under the present reaction conditions include the mercury halides, e.g., mercury dichloride, mercury dibromide, and mercury diiodide; and also alkyl mercury compounds such as dimethyl mercury, d-iethyl mercury, dipropyl mercury, diisopropyl mercury, and di-tert-butyl mercury. Other Group II starting materials which are employed in the present invention include the elements beryllium, zinc, cadmium and mercury as well as their halides and alkyl com-pounds. Such metals are preferably employed as the halides, for example, the chlorides, bromides and iodides, although the various alkyl and halo-alkyl derivatives may similarly be used. The Group VI elements employed per se or compounds thereof which are of particular utility include tellurium halides and their hydride derivatives. The elements or their chlorides are preferred as the source material for the Group VI components employed in the present method. The halides which are preferred include sulfur rnonochloride, sulfur monobromide and sulfur dichloride, selenium te-tachloride and tellurium tetrachloride.

In conducting the vapor phase reaction between the Group II and the Group VI component for the production of a crystalline solid II-VI compound of the present class, it is essential that gaseous hydrogen be present in the system, and that oxidizing gases be excluded. However, when the Group II and Group VI elements (or hydrides) are used simultaneously it is unnecessary to use molecular hydrogen, but it may be used as a carrier. The mole fraction of the II component in the gas phase (calculated as the mole fraction of the monatomic form of the II compound or element) preferably is from 0.01 to 0.15, while the mole fraction of the VI component is from 0.05 to 0.50 (also calculated with respect to the monatomic form of the VI compound or element). The mole fraction of'the hydrogen may vary in the range of from 0.35 to 0.94. It should be recognized that this representation of partial pressure imposes no limitation upon the total pressure in the system which may vary in the range of from 0.1 micron to several atmospheres, for example, 7500 mm. Hg.

The mole fraction of the Group VI starting material.

such as halide, for example, tellurium tetrachloride, is

preferably at least equivalent to, and still more preferably greater than the mole fraction of the Group II component, for example, zinc dichloride, or other Group II compound which is employed. A preferred embodiment is the use of a mole fraction t'or the Group VI component which is at least twice that of the Group II component. The mole fraction of hydrogen should then be at least twice that of the combined mole trac tion of the Group II and Group VI components.

The temperature used in carrying out the reaction between the above described II component and the VI component will generally be above about 25 C. to as much as 1500 C., a preferred operating range being from 400 C. to 1200 C. and a still more preferred range being from 500 C. to 1100 C. In any event, the reaction is carried out below the melting (or decomposition) point of the substrate or material being deposited.

The only temperature requirements within the reservoirs containing the Group H and Group VI component sources are that the reservoirs be maintained above the dew points of the vaporized components therein. For the II compound or element this is usually within the range of from 200-1000 C. and for the VI compound, from to 900 C. The time required for the reaction is dependent upon the temperature and the degree of mixing and reacting. The II and VI gaseous com ponents may be introduced individually through nozzles, or may be premixed as desired.

The apparatus employed in carrying out the process of the present invention may be any of a number of types. The simplest type constitutes a closed tube of a refractory material such as glass, quartz or a ceramic tube such as mullite into which the starting reactant materials are introduced together with the hydrogen vapor. The tube is then sealed otf and subjected to temperatures within action is complete.

The contacting and vapor phase precipitation may be carried out in a closed system which is completely sealed off after the hydrogen is introduced with the II component and the VI component, or by use of a continuous gas flow system. The pressure which is obtained in the single-vessel, closed system corresponds to the pressure exerted by the added hydrogen vapor at the operating temperatures. The pressure in the system may be varied over a considerable range such as from 0.1 micron to 10 atmospheres, a preferred range being from 0.5 to 1.0 atmosphere.

On a larger scale, the present process is operated as a continuous flow system. This may constitute a simple reaction tube in which the substrate crystal is located and in which the hydrogen gas is then passed to flush oxygen from the system. In this tube are passed the Group II and Group VI reactants carried by hydrogen along the same or one or more additional conduits. The II-VI compound formed in the reaction tube deposits as an epitaxial layer on the substrate crystal. Various other modifications including horizontal and vertical tubes are also contemplated, and recycle systems in which the exit gas after precipitation of the single crystal product is returned to the system is also desirable, particularly in larger scale installations.

In addition to making the epitaxial films by providing separate sources of the Group II component and the Group VI component it is also possible to make the epitaxially grown crystals of the present invention by reacting hydrogen chloride, hydrogen bromide, or hydrogen iodide with a II-VI compound at a sufficiently elevated temperature to provide gaseous products consisting of Group II compounds and Group VI elements or compounds. These gaseous reaction products will then further react in a region of the system at lower temperature to redeposit the original IIVI compound. Consequently the present process is adaptable to a wide variety of starting materials and may also be used to obtain products of very high purity by employingthe II-VI compound for redeposition. The reaction system accordingly may consi st of a number of zones to provide for the introduction of volatile components which undergo reaction to'form the ultimate II-VI epitaxial film.

An advantage of the present method for the production of epitaxial films of II VI compounds by the reaction in the vapor phase of a Group II component and Group VI component is the ease of obtaining high purity products. In contrast to this method, the conventional method for the preparation of II-VI compounds beginning with the respective elements'from the Group II and Group VI ,series consists of merely adding together the two reactants. The high-temperature vapor-phase reaction employed in the present method inherently introduces a factor favoring'the production of pure materials, since the vaporization and reaction of the respective Group II and Group VI components results in a rejection of impurities. The desired reaction for the production of the II-VI compound occurs between the Group II component, the Group VI component, and hydrogen to yield the II-VI compound. As a result, it is found that unusually pure materials which are of utility in various electrical and electronic applications such as in the manufacture of semiconductors are readily obtained.

'The most important aspect of this invention is the provision of a means of preparing and depositing epitaxial films of the purified single crystal material onto various substrates. ness permit the fabrication of new electronic devices discussed hereinafter. The characteristic feature of epitaxial film formation is that starting with a given substrate material, e.g., gallium arsenide, having a certain lattice These deposited films of any desired thickdirectly into the reaction tube, or may be carried thence by streams of hydrogen. When streams of hydrogen are employed to carry the reactants into the reaction zone, separate streams of hydrogen which may be of equal or unequal volume flow are led through reservoirs containing the reactants, heated to appropriate temperatures to maintain the desired vapor pressure of the reactant. For example, the employment of one region at a considerably higher temperature will introduce relatively larger proportions of such reactant. The separate streams of hydrogen carrying, for example, cadmium bromide, mercury chloride and selenium chloride are led into the silica tube containing the substrate crystaland heated to the reaction temperature. A single crystal film of compound, in the present example, Cd Hg S, deposits on the substrate and is oriented in the same direction as the substrate. In the more general case the compound M R T Z where x and y can be any value from zero to one, M and R represent a Group II element and structure and oriented in any direction, a film, layer or I overgrowth of the same or different material may be vapor-deposited upon the substrate. The vapor deposit has an orderly atomic lattice and settling upon the substrate assumes as a mirror-image the same lattice structure and geometric configuration of the substrate. When using a certain material, e.g., gallium antimonide as the substrate and another material, e.g., mercury selenide as the film deposit it is necessary that lattice distances of the deposit material closely approximate those of the substrate in order to obtain an epitaxial film.

A particular advantage of the present method for the production of epitaxial films of II-VI compounds by the reaction in the vapor phase of a Group II component and a volatile Group VI component in the presence of hydrogen is that in forming the epitaxial layer on the substrate, the substrate is not affected and therefore sharp changes in impurity concentration can be formed. By this method it is possible to prepare sharp and narrow junctions, such as p-n junctions, which cannot be prepared by the conventional methods of dilfusi'ng and alloying.

The growing of an epitaxial film by the process of the present invention is carried out by placing a single crystal, polished and oriented, of the substrate material in a silica or other tube. The foundation material is thus available for the manufacture of an epitaxial filmwhich will have the further characteristic of being monocrystalline. In order to conduct this process the reactants may be vaporized from reservoirs containing the same T and Z represent a Group VI element, depends upon the relative concentration or partial pressure of the M and R reactants or of the T and Z reactants in the reactor tube. I

The thickness of the epitaxial film may be controlled as desired and is dependent upon reaction conditions such as temperatures within the reactor, hydrogen flow rates and time of reaction. In general, the formation of large single crystals and thicker layers is favored by higher temperatures as defined above, and lower hydrogen pressures and larger flow rates.

As stated hereinbefore, the epitaxial films formed in accordance with this invention comprise compounds formed from elements or volatile compounds of elements of Group II with elements or volatile compounds of Group VI. Included in this group of compounds are the sulfides, selenides and tellurides of beryllium, zinc, cad mium and mercury. In addition to the use of the above compounds by themselves, mixtures of these com pounds are also contemplated as epitaxial films, e.g. zinc sulfide and cadmium telluride mixed in varying proportions when produced by the instant process produce suitable semiconductor compositions.

Representative individual binary crystals of the Group II and Group VI components contemplated in this invention are listed in the table below with the value of their forbidden energy gap.

can be formed to give mixed binary crystals, including ternary and quarternary compositions, which have a value of the forbidden energy gap different from those of the two parent binary crystals and usually having a value that is intermediate between those of the parent binary crystals. For example, the forbidden energy gap of Cd Hg Te is about 0.25 electron volt. Other such combinations have the formulae BeS Se Be Zn S, ZnSe Te Zn Cd Se, CdSe Te Cd I-Ig Te, HgSe Te Zn Cd Se Te and where x and y have a numerical value greater than zero and less than one.

Materials useful as substrates herein include the same I materials used in the epitaxial films as just described and, in addition, compounds of elements of Groups III and V (III-V compounds) and compounds of Groups I and VII elements (I-VII compounds), having the cubic (ZnS) structure, and the elements silicon and germanium, as well as metals having the cubic crystalline structure are suitable substrates. Suitable dimensions of the seed crystal are 1 mm. thick, mm. wide and -20 mm. long, although larger or smaller crystals may be used.

As will be described hereinafter, the materials used herein either as films or substrates or both may be used in a purified state or containing small amounts of foreign materials as doping agents.

The significance of structures having epitaxial fihns is that electronic devices utilizing surface junctions may readily be fabricated. Devices utilizing n-p or p-n junctions are readily fabricated by vapor depositing the host material containing the desired amount and kind of impurity, hence, conductivity type, upon a substrate having a diiferent conductivity type. In order to obtain a vapor deposit having the desired conductivity type and resistivity, trace amounts of an impurity, e.g., an element or compound thereof selected from Group I of the periodic system, e.g., copper, silver and gold or an element or compound thereof selected from Group V of the periodic system, e.g., phosphorus, arsenic and antimony are incorporated into the reaction components in order to produce p-type conductivity, and an element or compound thereof from Group III, e.g., boron, aluminum, gallium and indium to produce n-type conductivity. These impurities are carried over with the reactant materials into the vapor phase and deposited in a uniform dispersion in the epitaxial film of the formed product on the substrate. Since the proportion of dopant deposited with the II-VI compound is not necessarily equal to the proportion in the reactant gases the quantity of dopant added corresponds to the level of carrier concentration desired in epitaxial film to be formed.

The doping element may be introduced in any manner known in the art, for example, by chemical combination with or physical dispersion withinthe reactants. Other examples include adding volatile dopant compounds such as InCl to the reservoir of the Group II and/ or VI components, or the dopant can be added with a separate stream of hydrogen from a separate reservoir.

The substrate materials used herein may be doped by conventional means known to .the art. For example, the doping agent may be introduced in elemental form or as a volatile compound of the dopant element during preparation of the substrate crystal in the same manner described above for doping the epitaxial film. Also, the dopant may be added to a melt of the substrate compound during crystal growth of the compound. Another method of doping is by diffusing the dopant element directly into the substrate compound at elevated temperatures.

The quantity of dopant used will be controlled by the electrical properties desired in the final product. Suitable amounts contemplated herein range from 1 10 to 5x10 atoms/cc. of product.

Vapor deposits of the purified material having the same conductivity type as the substrate may be utilized to form intrinsic pp+ or nn+ regions.

Variations of the preceding techniques permit the formation of products having a plurality of layers of epitaxial films upon the substrate, each layer having its own electrical conductivity type and resistivity as controlled by layer thickness and dopant concentration. Since the vapor deposited material assumes the same lattice structure as the substrate Wherever the two materials contact each other, small or large areas of the substrate may be masked from or exposed to the depositing host material. By this means one is able to obtain small regions of surface junctions or Wide area films on the substrate for a diversity of electronic applications.

As mentioned above, a plurality of layers of epitaxial films may be deposited upon the substrate material. This is accomplished, e.g., by vapor depositing consecutive layers one upon the other. For example, a first film of one of the materials described herein, e.g., cadmium telluride is vapor deposited upon a substrate of indium antimonide. Subsequently, a quantity of the same material with different doping agents or different concentrations of the same dopant or another of the described materials may be vapor deposited from starting materials comprising these elements with a fresh quantity of hydrogen as a second epitaxial film over the epitaxial film of cadmium telluride already deposited on the substrate. This procedure with any desired combination of layers can be repeated any number of times.

Alternatively, after the first layer of material is vapor deposited upon the substrate, the substrate with this epitaxial layer is removed to another reaction tube and a second material is then vapor deposited as before upon the substrate with its first epitaxial layer, thereby forming a two-layered component.

In each of these processes, the thickness of the epitaxial film and the impurity concentration are controllable to obtain a variety of electrical effects required for specific purposes as discussed elsewhere herein.

Various electronic devices to which these epitaxial ly filmed semiconductors are applicable include diodes, (e.g., tunnel diodes), parametric amplifiers, transistors, high frequency meca transistors, solar cells, thermophotovoltaic cells, components in micromodule circuits, rectifiers, thermoelectric generators, radiation detectors, optical filters, Watt-meters, and other semiconductor devices.

This invention will be more fully understood with reference to the following illustrative specific embodiments:

Example 1 This example illustrates the formation and deposition of a p-type CdS epitaxial film on n-type AlAs as the substrate.

A polished crystal of n-type AlAs one millimeter thick and containing 1 10 carriers/cc. is placed in a fused silica reaction tube located in a furnace. The AlAs crystal is placed on a silica support inside said tube. The reaction tube is heated to 1000 C. and a stream of hydrogen is directed through the tube for 15 minutes to remove oxygen from the surface of the AlAs.

A stream of hydrogen is then directed through a reservoir of S Cl maintained at about C. thus vaporizing the S 01 which is then carried by the hydrogen through a heated tube from the reservoir to the reaction tube containing the AlAs substrate crystal.

Meanwhile, a separate stream of hydrogen is conducted through a separate tube containing a reservoir of CdCl heated to about 680*" C. This reservoir also contains a quantity of AgI (as a doping component). From this heated tube the CdCl and AgI are carried by the hydrogen to the reaction tube. In the system the mole fractions of the S Cl CdCl and H are 0.05, 0.15 and 0.80, respectively. The separate streams of vaporized S Cl CdCl and AgI conjoin in the fused silica reaction tube where a reaction occurs between the cadmium and sulfur components in which a single crystal film of p-type cadmium sulfide is formed on the substrate crystal of AlAs.

The epitaxially grown crystal removed from the reaction tube is composed of n-type aluminum arsenide on one (bottom) face and p-type cadmium sulfide, on the opposite (top) face and contains about 10 carriers per cc.

X-ray diffraction patterns of the crystal show that the deposited layer is single crystal in form and oriented in the same fashion as the substrate.

Retcification tests show that a p-n junction exists at the region of the junction between the epitaxial layer and the seed crystal substrate.

Example 2 This example illustrates the formation and deposition of an epitaxial film of n-type ZnSe on p-type GaAs as the substrate.

A polished seed crystal of p-type GaAs doped with cadmium to a carrier concentration of 5.8x l carriers/ cc. is placed in a fused silica reaction tube located in a furnace. The GaAs seed crystal is placed on a graphite support inside said tube. The reaction tube is heated to 650 C. and a stream of hydrogen is directed through the tube for minutes to remove oxygen from the surface of the GaAs.

A stream of hydrogen is then directed through a reservoir of GaCl (as the dopant) maintained at about 45 C. thus vaporizing the GaCl which is then carried by the hydrogen through a heated tube from the reservoir to the reaction tube containing the GaAs seed crystaJl.

Meanwhile, separate and equal streams of hydrogen are conducted through separate tubes containing in one of them a reservoir of ZnBr heated to about 500 C. and in the other a body of elemental selenium heated to about 637 C. From the heated tubes the elemental selenium and zinc bromide are carried by the hydrogen on through the tubes to the reaction tube. In the system the mole fractions of the ZnBr elemental selenium are 0.05, 0.15 and 0.80, respectively. The separate streams of vaporized reactants conjoin in the fused silica reaction tube heated to about 650 C., where a reaction occurs between the zinc and selenium in which a single crystal film of n-type ZnSe is formed on the seed crystal of p-type gallium arsenide forming thereon an epitaxial layer which exhibits about 10 carriers (electrons) per cc. X-ray difiraction patterns of the substrate crystal show that the deposited layer is single crystal in form and oriented in the same fashion as the substrate.

Rectification tests show that a p-n junction exists at the'region of the junction between the epitaxial layer and the seed crystal substrate. When this procedure is repeated using a Group II element, e.g., zinc., and a Group VI compound, e.g., TeCl and adjusting the temperatures accordingly, the same results obtain.

Example 3 This example illustrates the formation of a product hav. ing an HgTe overgrowth on a AgI substrate, said product exhibiting photoconductive efiects.

, The apparatus and procedure outlined in Examples 1 and 2 are used and followed generally, except that the Group II reservoir contains the compound HgCl In a second tube leading to the reaction tube is a reservoir of T eCl A seed crystal of AgI is placed in the reaction tube located in the furnace. The furnace is then heated to 360 C. and a stream of hydrogen directed through the reaction tube for about minutes to remove any oxygen present.

The reservoir of HgCl is heated to 210 C. to volatilize the HgCl which is conducted by a stream of hydrogen passing through the reservoir, to the reaction tube. Simultaneously, the second tube containing the TeCl is heated to about 360 in the presence of 'a stream of hydrogen. The vaporized TeCL; is also carried to the reaction tube wherein theHgCl reacts with the TeCL; to produce mercury telluride, HgTe, which deposits from the vapor phase as a uniform layer upon the seed crystal of AgI.

1 The product, upon examination shows an epitaxial layer of single crystal HgTe having the same crystal orientation as the AgI substrate.

. The crystal is then lapped and metallic leads attached to the HgTe epitaxial film leading through -a current source, e.g., a battery and an ammeter. Electrical current is then applied to the crystal and upon irradiating the HgTeface of the crystal from a hot body 6 heated to about 2000 C., the flow of electrical current is increased,

thus demonstrating photoconduction. This example further illustrates the utilization of a semiconductor body, i.e., the HgTe film, on a non-conductor base material, i.e., AgI,7, which arrangement provides unique and extended applications for device fabrication.

Example 4 This example illustrates the formation and deposition of a p-type epitaxial film of CdTe on n-type CdTe as the substrate, in a photovoltaic cell such as the solar cell as illustrated in FIGURE 2.

The same general procedure outlined in the preceding examples is repeated. The substrate crystal in the reaction tube is an n-type (10 carriers per cc.) CdTe crystal heated to about 650 C. Cadmium bromide, CdBr is contained in one reservoir heated to about 600 C. and TeCl is contained in a second reservoir heated to about 360 C., while a third reservoir contains CuCl (dopant) heated to 520 C. After flowing hydrogen through the reaction tube for 15 minutes to remove oxygen from the substrate crystal, a stream of hydrogen gas is initiated through the three reservoirs and into the reaction tube heated to 650 C. CdTe begins to epitaxially deposit on the CdTe substrate. The epitaxially grown crystal in the reaction tube is composed of n-type CdTe on one (bottom) face and p-type CrTe on the opposite (top) face contains about 10 carriers per cc. (p-type) and is about 1 micron thick. Thus the crystal consists of p-type epitaxial film on an n-type substrate.

The present example describes a photovoltaic cell. Metallic leads are attached to the n-type substrate and the p-type film and connected through an'external load, e.g., a voltmeter. This device is composed of a major body of n-type CdTe which has a thin layer of p-type CdTe deposited upon the n-type portion as described above. In order to make electrical contact with the n-type material, a lead is attached to said major body by means of a soldered joint, such as indium solder or indium paint.

In the present device the only p-n junction should be just below the light receptive surface. All other surfaces should be protected during deposition, provided with a counter layer, or be lapped, cut or etched to eliminate the epitaxial layer from all but the light surface. A contact is then made with the n-type body. The second electrical contact is made directly with the p-surface by a ring at the top or side of the disc and a lead attached thereto to provide contact with the external measuring circuit.

In the operation of the photovoltaic cell which is also suitable for use as a solar cell, light is directed towards the free face corresponding to the p-type cadmium telluride as an epitaxial layer with the result that an electric signal is obtained from said leads.

It is desirable that the epitaxial layer be as thin as possible, for example 10- cm. in order to permit high efiiciency to be obtained, or in general, less than 4x10- In a modification especially suitable for a solar cell the parent layer is n-type (doped) cadmium telluride deposited epitaxially as described in Example 4, and containing 1 10 carriers/cc. The p-n junction is formed using vapor deposition of p-type cadmium telluride (CuCl doped, about 10 carriers/cc.) and with this external layer being about 2 10 cm. in depth. In general for a solar cell, this layer is made 1 10 to 2 1O cm. In the present device the surface area of the cell is 1.250 cm. but the method is applicable equally well to large areas. In devices of the type described in this example conversion efficiencies of about 18% are obtained.

The present photovoltaic cells prepared by vapor deposition of an epitaxial layer are easily made as a part of other apparatus, which cannot be made by conventional diffusion or alloying. For example, a transistor in a micromodule is powered from the output of the photovoltaic (e.g., solar type) cell, making an external power Example This example illustrates the procedure for producing a product having a plurality of layers of difierent electrical properties.

The procedure here is similar to that followed in the preceding example, and the apparatus is the same.

The reservoir containing th Group II compound, HgCl is heated to 210 C. in a stream of hydrogen, while the tube containing a reservoir of the Group VI compound SeCl is heated to about 160 C. in a stream of hydrogen and a separate tube containing CuCl (dopant) is heated to about 320 C. in a stream of hydrogen. These separate streams of hydrogen containing the vaporized reactants are conducted to the reaction tube which contains a seed crystal of polished n-type zinc telluride, ZnTe, doped with phosphorus to a carrier concentration of about 5.8 /cc. In the reaction tube previously flushed with hydrogen and heated to 250 C., the HgCl reacts with the hydrogen, SeCl and CuCl dopant to form p-type mercury selenide, HgSc, which deposits from the vapor phase onto the n-type ZnTe seed crystal. The reaction proceeds for about minutes, after which heating and the flow of the separate streams of hydrogen to these reservoirs is discontinued. Additional reservoirs containing, respectively, ZnBr doped with a trace amount of GaCl (which, alternatively, may be supplied through a separate reservoir heated to 45 C.) heated to 500 C. and TeBr heated to 400 C., are then opened to the reactor which is now heated to 550 C. The hydrogen supply is now opened to stream through the ZnBr GaCl and TeBr reservoirs. Again, the vaporized reactants are carried by the hydrogen to the reaction tube. In the reaction tube the TeBr, reacts with the doped ZnBrto form n-type zinc telluride, ZnT e, which deposits upon the p-type HgSe layer previously deposited on the n-type ZnTe seed crystal.

After the recation has proceeded to completion, the product, upon examination is found to consist of a substrate of n-type ZnTe, having sucessive layers of p--type HgSe and n-type ZnTe. These deposited layers exhibit the same X-ray orientation pattern as the single crystal ZnTe substrate indicating the same orientation and single crystal form characteristic of epitaxial films.

The product further exhibits characteristic n-p-n junction properties showing the presence of an n-p junction between the n-type ZnTe and the p-type HgSe and a p-n junction between the latter compound and the n-type ZnTe substrate. When this example is repeated substituting silicon and germanium respectively, for the ZnTe substrate, substantially similar results are obtained.

By the foregoing method any number and combination of epitaxial and non-epitaxial layers may be deposited one upon the other.

An alternative to the foregoing procedure is to connect a fourth tube containing a second Group II compound reservoir and hydrogen supply to the reaction tube at a point near the junction of the tube containing the first Group II compound reservoir and the tube containing the Group VI compound reservoir. The fourth tube is closed off during the first phase of the process, i.e., while the first epitaxial layer is being formed, and thereafter, opened to the system while closing off the tube containing the first Group II compound.

A still further modification of this invention is to use a mixture of Group 11 compounds in one or more reservoirs and/ or a mixture of the Group VI compounds in another reservoirs(s) and proceed in the usual manner. An illustration of this modification is shown in the following example wherein an epitaxial film of a ternary composition of IIVI elements is deposited on a ZnTe substrate.

When electrical leads are connected to the three sepa- 10 rate n-p-n regions of the crystal prepared in this example, the crystal exhibits transistor action with improved emitter efficiency and improved high frequency response.

Example 6 This example illustrates the deposition of ternary compositions of II-VI elements on II-VI substrates.

A polished seed crystal of p-type ZnTe doped with gold to a carrier concentration of 5.5 10 carriers/cc. is placed in the fused silica reaction tube. The tube is heated to 650 C. and a stream of hydrogen is directed through the tube for 15 minutes to remove any oxygen present.

Quantities of CdBr HgCl and Se Br are placed in reservoirs for the Group II compound reactant as described in preceding examples, and a body of gallium trichloride, GaCl as dopant material, is placed in another tube connected to the reaction tube.

A stream of hydrogen is then directed through the reservoir containing the CdB-r cadmium dibromide, and heated to about 600 C., through the HgCl reservoir heated to 230 C. and through the Se Br reservoir heated to 180 C., while a stream of hydrogen is then passed through the Gacl reservoir in another tube heated to about 45 C. The vaporized components in the tubes are then carried by the hydrogen to the reaction tube containing the ZnTe seed crystal. In the reaction tube heated to 650 C., the vaporized components combine and react to form a mixed binary crystal of n-type cadmium mercury selenide, having the formula Cd Hg Se which deposits from the vapor phase in single crystal form as as epitaxial film on said p-type ZnTe seed crystal. The p-type mixed crystal layer is shown by X-ray diffraction patterns to have the same crystal orientation as the seed crystal, characteristic of epitaxial layers.

Rectification tests establish the existence of a p-n junction between epitaxial layer and the substrate.

By varying the hydrogen flow rates through the respective Group II and Group VI compound reservoirs according to the foregoing modification of this example, epitaxial films of ternary compositions over the whole range of Cd I-Ig Se are obtained, where x has a value less than 1 and greater than zero.

In accordance with the present embodiment of this invention, epitaxial films of ternary compositions of elements of Groups II and VI may be prepared merely by reacting one volatile compound of Group II elements with two Group VI compounds or vice-versa, i.e., by reacting two Group II compounds with one Group VI compound in the presence of hydrogen. Thus, epitaxial films of these ternary compositions may be formed by reacting a sum of three Group 11 compounds and Group VI compounds in any combination in the presence of hydrogen.

Example 7 This example illustrates the preparation of epitaxial films of quaternary mixed binary crystals of II-VI elements.

Reservoirs are provided which contain, respectively, CdBr heated to about 600 C., HgCl heated to about 230 C., SeCL; heated to about C., TeCl heated to about 360 C. and 62101 (as dopant) heated to about 45 C. Each reservoir is connected to a quartz, reaction tube containing a polished seed crystal n-type of zincdoped GaAs (10 carriers per cc.). This arrangement may be varied a number of ways, e.g., by placing each reactant in separate reservoirs along a common conduit to the reaction tube or each reservoir may have its own conduit to the reaction tube.

The vaporized components in the several reservoirs are then conducted by the hydrogen to the quartz reaction tube which is heated to about 650700 C. The separate streams of hydrogen carrying the reactants converge in the reaction tube, and after about 1 hour a four-compo nent mixed binary crystal having the formula that the sum of the Group 11 components and the Group VI components reacted equals four. That is, one, two or three Group 11 components may be reacted with, respectively, three, two or one Group VI components in the presence of hydrogen to produce epitaxial films of the quarternary compositions of II-VI elements in this embodiment of the present invention.

It will be seen that the products obtained according to the process of the present invention have a variety of applications. For example, in electronic devices it is desir able to have a substantially inert non-conducting base for II-VI epitaxially filmed semiconductors, the product described in Example 3 is highly suitable. Where it is desired to obtain semiconductor components having semiconducting properties in the base material as well as in the epitaxial film, those products, described in Examples 1, 2, and 47 above are of particular value.

Electronic devices may also be fabricated wherein a semiconducting component comprising an epitaxial film of II-VI compositions is deposited on substrates of metallic conductors having cubic crystal structure, such as gold, silver, calcium, cerium, cobalt, iron, iridium, lanthanum, nickel, palladium, platinum, rhodium, strontium, thorium and copper, and alloys such as Al-Zn, SbCoMn, BTi and Cl'zTi- Various other modifications of the instant invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. Process for the production and deposition of epitaxial films comprising combinations of Group II elements selected from the class consisting of beryllium, zinc, cadmium and mercury and Group VI elements selected from the class consisting of sulfur, selenium and tellurium onto a substrate material selected from the class consisting of IV'II compounds, IIIV compounds, germanium and silicon, which comprises combining in the vapor phase at least one volatile component of the class of Group II elements and compounds thereof together with at least one volatile component of the class of Group VI elements and compounds thereof in the presence of hydrogen while excluding oxidizing gases, and contacting the resulting reaction mixture with said substrate heated to the temperature of reaction to deposit a purified single crystal'form of at least one II-VI compound as an epitaxial film on said substrate.

2. Process for the production and deposition of epitaxial films comprising combinations of Group 11 elements .selected from the class consisting of beryllium, zinc, cadmium and mercury and Group VI elements selected from the class consisting of sulfur, selenium and tellurium onto a substrate material selected from the class consisting of I-VII compounds, III-V compounds, germanium and silicon, which comprises combining in the vapor phase at temperatures Within the range of from 400 to 1500 C. at least one volatile component of the class of Group II elements and compounds thereof selected from the class consisting of halides, hydrides, and alkyl derivatives together with at least one volatile component of the class of Group VI elements and compounds thereof selected from the group consisting of halides, hydrides and alkyl derivatives in the presence of hydrogen while excluding oxidizing gases and contacting the resulting reaction mixture with said substrate heated to the temperature of reaction to deposit a purified single crystal form of at least one II-VI compound as an epitaxial film on said substrate.

3. Process for the production and deposition of epitaxial films comprising combinations of Group 11 elements selected from the class consisting of beryllium, zinc, cadmium and mercury and Group VI elements selected from the class consisting of sulfur, selenium and tellurium, said films having p-type conductivity by incorporation therein of a small amount of a doping agent selected from Groups I and V elements and compounds thereof, onto a substrate material selected from the class consisting of I-VII compounds, III-V compounds, germanium and silicon, said substrate having n-type conductivity :by incorporation therein of a small amount of a doping agent selected from Group III elements and compounds thereof, which comprises combining in the vapor phase at least one volatile component of the class of Group II elements and compounds thereof together with at least one volatile component of the class of Group VI elements and compounds thereof in the presence of hydrogen while excluding oxidizing gases, and contacting the resulting reaction mixture with said substrate heated to the temperature of reaction to deposit a purified single crystal form of at least one II-VI compound as an epitaxial film on said substrate forming a p-n junction therewith.

4. Process for the production and deposition of an epitaxial film of p-type cadmium sulfide onto a substrate of n-type aluminum arsenide, which comprises combining in the vapor phase cadmium chloride with sulfur monochloride in the presence of hydrogen and a doping agent selected from Groups I and V elements and compounds thereof while excluding oxidizing gases and contacting the resulting reaction mixture with said substrate heated to the temperature of reaction to deposit a purified single crystal form of cadmium sulfide containing a small amount of said doping agent dispersed therein as an epitaxial film having p-type conductivity on said substrate having n-type conductivity thereby forming a p-n junction.

5. Process for the production and deposition of epitaxial films comprising combinations of Group II elements selected from the class consisting of beryllium, zinc, cadmium and mercury and Group VI elements selected from the class consisting of sulfur, selenium and tellurium, said films having n-type conductivity by incorporation therein of a small amount of a doping agent selected from Group III elements and compounds thereof, onto a substrate material selected from the class consisting of I-VII compounds, III-V compounds, germanium and silicon, said substrate having p-type conductivity by incorporation therein of a small amount of a doping agent selected from elements of Groups I and V and compounds thereof, which comprises combining in the vapor phase at least one volatile component of the class of Group II elements and compounds thereof together with at least one volatile component of the class of Group VI elements and compounds thereof in the presence of hydrogen while excluding oxidizing gases, and contacting the resulting reaction mixture with said substrate heated to the temperature of reaction to deposit a purified single crystal form of at least one II-VI compound as an epitaxial film on said substrate forming a p-n junction therewith.

6. Process for the production and deposition of an epitaxial film of n-type zinc selenide onto a substrate of ptype gallium arsenide, which comprises combining in the vapor phase zinc bromide with elemental selenium in the presence of hydrogen and gallium trichloride as a doping agent while excluding oxidizing gases, and contacting the resulting reaction mixture with said substrate heated to the temperature of reaction to deposit a purified single 13 crystal form of zinc selenide containing a small amount of said doping agent dispersed therein as an epitaxial film having n-type conductivity on said substrate having p-type conductivity, thereby forming an n-p junction.

7. Process for the production and deposition of epitaxial films of mixed binary crystals comprising elements selected from the class consisting of beryllium, Zinc, cadmium and mercury together with elements selected from the class consisting of sulfur, selenium and tellurium onto a substrate material selected from the class consisting of III-V compounds, I-VII compounds, germanium and silicon, which comprises reacting in the vapor phase at least one volatile component of the class of beryllium, zinc, cadmium, mercury and compounds thereof together with at least one volatile component of the class of sulfur, selenium, tellun'um and compounds thereof provided that the sum of the components reacted is greater than two, in the presence of hydrogen while excluding oxidizing gases and contacting the resulting reaction mixture with said substrate heated to the temperature of reaction to deposit a purified single crystal form of mixed binary crystals as an epitaxial film on said substrate.

8. Process for the production and deposition of a plurality of epitaxial layers comprising combinations of elements selected from the group consisting of beryllium, zinc, cadmium, mercury, sulfur, selenium and tellurium onto a substrate material selected from the class consisting of III-V compounds, IVII compounds, germanium and silicon, which comprises as a first step reacting in the vapor phase at least one volatile component of the class of Group II elements and compounds thereof together with at least one volatile component of the class of Group VI elements and compounds thereof in the presence of hydrogen while excluding oxidizing gases, and contacting said resulting reaction mixture with said substrate heated to the temperature of reaction to deposit a single crystal form of at least one II-VI compound as a first epitaxial layer on said substrate, repeating this procedure as many times as the number of layers desired, but providing modified electrical properties in each succeeding layer by inclusion therein of small amounts of doping agents.

1 4 References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS OTHER REFERENCES Antell et al.: Journal of the Electrochemical Society, June 1959, pp. 509-510.

Lalf: IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, vol. 7, No. 5, 15 October 1964, pp. 411-412.

Marinace: IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, vol. 3, No. 8, January 1961, pp. 33.

References Cited by the Applicant UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,692,839 10/1954 Christensen et al. 2,798,989 7/1957 Welker. 2,929,859 3/ 1960 Loferski.

25 3,072,507 1/1963 Anderson.

FOREIGN PATENTS 1,193,194 10/1959 France.

OTHER REFERENCES Anderson: Semiconductor Device IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, vol. 3, No. 2, p. 44, July 1960.

Lyons et al.: Forming a Compound PN Junction, 35 IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, vol. 3, No. 8. p. 31,

January 1961.

DAVID L. RECK, Primary Examiner.

O HYLAND BIZOT, Examiner. 4 N. F. MARKVA, Assistant Examiner. 

1. PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION AND DEPOSITION OF EPITAXIAL FILMS COMPRISING COMBINATIONS OF GROUP II ELEMENTS SELECTED FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF BERYLLIUM, ZINC, CADMIUM AND MERCURY AND GROUP VI ELEMENTS SELECTED FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF SULFUR, SELENIUM AND TELLURIUM ONTO A SUBSTRATE MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF I-VII COMPOUNDS, III-V COMPOUNDS, GERMANIUM AND SILICON, WHICH COMPRISES COMBINING IN THE VAPOR PHASE AT LEAST ONE VOLATILE COMPONENT OF THE CLASS OF GROUP II ELEMENTS AND COMPOUNDS THEREOF TOGETHER WITH AT LEAST ONE VOLATILE COMPONENT OF THE CLASS OF GROUP VI ELEMENTS AND COMPOUNDS THEREOF IN THE PRESENCE OF HYDROGEN WHILE EXCLUDING OXIDIZING GASES, AND CONTACTING THE RESULTING REACTION MIXTURE WITH SAID SUBSTRATE HEATED TO THE TEMPERATURE OF REACTION TO DEPOSIT A PURIFIED SINGLE CRYSTAL FORM OF AT LEAST ONE II-VI COMPOUND AS A EPITAXIAL FILM ON SAID SUBSTRATE. 